The National Decision Model

The National Decision Model (NDM) is the standard framework used by police officers in England and Wales for making decisions in all policing situations, but particularly in high-pressure or dynamic operational situations involving the potential use of force. It was adopted by the Association of Chief Police Officers in 2012, replacing the earlier ACPO Conflict Management Model. The NDM is also used by other public safety organisations and is taught at all police initial training programmes.

The NDM is structured around a central ethical code. All decisions must be made in accordance with the Code of Ethics for the Policing Profession, which sets out nine policing principles derived from the Nolan Principles of Public Life, including accountability, fairness, honesty, integrity, leadership, objectivity, openness, respect, and selflessness. The ethical code sits at the centre of the NDM to emphasise that it is not simply a tactical or operational tool but an ethical one.

Around the ethical core, the NDM has five elements: gather information and intelligence; assess threats and risk and develop a working strategy; consider powers and policy; identify options and contingencies; and take action and review what happened. These elements are not a rigid sequence but a dynamic process that can be revisited and revised as a situation develops. In fast-moving situations, an officer may cycle through all five elements in seconds; in planned operations, the process may take days.

The NDM is evidence-based: decisions made within its framework should be grounded in what the officer knew, or reasonably believed, at the time the decision was made. Courts and review bodies apply an objective test from the perspective of a reasonable officer with the same information. The NDM provides a structure for recording and justifying decisions, which is important in post-incident reviews, inquests, complaints investigations, and civil litigation. The College of Policing's authorised professional practice (APP) on the NDM is the definitive guidance.